Malpractice
Faith No More Lyrics

The Faith No More song, "Malpractice," is a challenging track to interpret due to its eerie and disturbing nature. The lyrics of the song indicate that there has been something wrong with the persona, and the crowd is cheering and applauding the fact that he is being repaired. The hands that had identified the flaw originally are the same hands that are now repairing it. The first verse, "The crowd roars it's deep and so unhealthy. The reset you know I'll feel the hands that felt me," gives the listener a sense of discomfort and unease. The persona knows what is coming, and it appears that he's not looking forward to it. The second verse is just as disturbing, "The crowd roars the gurgling and the groping. The reset you know ten lovers violating." The persona has most likely gone through a traumatic experience, and the only way he can be "cured" is by having this "bad thing" removed.

The chorus of the song, "Applause, applause, applause, Applause, applause, applause," pierces through the track, giving the listener a sense of discomfort yet again. The persona appears to be in agony as he sings, "Cold hands. Your hands. Cover my mouth while I'm staring into bright lights." The surgery or treatment that is taking place is undoubtedly not of the ordinary kind, adding to the chilling atmosphere of the song. The final verse of the song, "The crowd roars they ruined and repaired me. The reset you know the hands removed the bad thing. Miracle," has an air of finality to it. It appears that the persona has gone under the knife and come out the other side. Still, the scars remain, and the crowd celebrates this "miracle" of repair, further reinforcing the fact that what has happened to the persona is anything but ordinary.